Former Masters champion breaks 'unwritten rule' while caddying at Q-School

Former Masters champion and European Tour legend Jose Maria Olazabal was accused of breaking an 'unwritten rule' this week. 

Olazabal is in Spain for the next few days caddying for his nephew Joseba Torres during the final stage of DP World Tour qualifying school. 

Torres carded an opening round of 2-under 69 on the Lakes Course in Tarragona with the help of his uncle, who won 23 times on the European circuit between 1986 and 2005. 

MondayQInfo aka Ryan French snapped a picture of Olazabal in action and pointed out that Ollie was wearing golf shoes. 

When it comes to being a caddie, that's a big no-no. 

In fact, it's actually a rule on the PGA Tour that caddies are not allowed to wear them.  

But given Ollie's glittering career that also saw him skipper the European Ryder Cup team to victory at Medinah in 2012, he has most definitely earned the right to do as he pleases. 

As Paul McGinley once opined: "He's our Ollie. We all worship Jose Maria."

See here:

"I'm very lucky"

Before getting underway at the six-round marathon, Torres told the official DP World Tour website that he's incredibly lucky to have Olazabal helping him this week. 

"I've practised with him a lot and to have him on the bag with his experience and his knowledge," he said. 

"The knowledge he has of how to play the shot, what to do in a certain situation – all the stuff that when you’re playing by yourself you don’t really deal with very well. 

"With him it's so easy because he tells you exactly what you need to do.

"He has been with me since I started playing golf when I was three years old.

"Obviously in a tournament it is different but he has always been with me and he knows what I’m more comfortable with and not. He really knows my game."

He added: "Whatever he says I say yes, let's go and do it because I really trust him. I know he isn't going to say anything that I don't need to do so I really trust what he says."

Only the top 20 players and ties will secure DP World Tour cards for the 2024-2025 season, which begins later this month in Australia. 

Notables in the field include the likes of Eddie Pepperell, Chris Wood, Edoardo Molinari and relegated LIV Golf pro Kalle Samooja. 

The aforementioned Molinari started extremely well, carding a bogey-free 7-under 65 on the Lakes Course. 

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